Automatic scoring,totalizing and printing apparatus for bowling game



March 10, 1970 MENTZER ET AL 3,499,649

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3,499,649 TOTALIZING AND PRINTING APPARATUS FOR BOWLING GAME l6 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Dec. 13, 1962 [NYE/V7028. EVERETT K. MENTZER, ROBERT/l 50V HEELG .BA/EIX';

United States Patent 3,499,649 AUTOMATIC SCORING, TOTALIZING AND PRINTING APPARATUS FOR BOWLING GAME Everett K. Mentzer, Struthers, and Robert H. Boucherle, Avon Lake, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Brunswick Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 175,865, Feb. 9, 1962. This application Dec. 13, 1962, Ser.

Int. Cl. A63g 11/00 U.S. Cl. 273-54 26 Claims This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automatically totalizing and printing the score in a bowling game. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for totalizing and printing team scores and for correcting an incorrect score in a system of the type described.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 175,865, now US. Patent No, 3,- 124,355, which application is, in turn, a continuation-inpart of application Ser. No. 38,091, filed July 7, 1960 and now abandoned.

The present invention provides an automatic scoring, totalizing and printing system for a bowling game which includes means for detecting and registering pinfall after each ball in a bowling game is delivered, a master circuit connected to the detecting and registering means for totalizing the pinfall of each frame in a bowling game, a plurality of player score totalizing and storage units each adapted to receive, totalize and store electrical intelligence from the master circuit representing total frame pinfall, manually operable switch means for selectively connecting the master circuit to a selected one of the player totalizing and storage units, ball results printing means connected to the master circuit, and score printing means adapted to be connected to any one of the player totalizing and storage units when that unit is also connected to the master circuit by the switch means.

Preferably, the apparatus, except for the pin detecting portion which is located at the pin deck, is positioned within a console adjacent the approach area of the alley, and the manually operable switch means comprises a series of pushbuttons, one for each player. The system is such that when a bowler prepares to. bowl, he will depress a designated pushbutton, thereby connecting the aforesaid master circuit to his particular player score totalizing and storage unit. The totalizing and storage unit contains information relative to his accumulated score, the frame in which the bowler should be bowling, and also that players marks (i.e., spares, strikes and doubles) which have been made but not yet scored.

The system described in the present application, in contrast to prior art systems, is designed for use by the general public and does not require the services of a skilled, or at least semi-skilled operator. All that is required is that a bowler depress his proper pushbutton adjacent his name on the aforesaid console before he rolls each frame, the remainder of the operations being entirely automatic. Only one player pushbutton on any alley may be depressed at any one time, the arrangement being such that depression of any pushbutton will cause all others to release or pop up. Furthermore, the system may be used for league play wherein bowling occurs on two adjacent alleys. When league play is in progress, automatic switching apparatus will connect the master circuit of a scoring, totalizing and printing unit alternately to one and then the other of the pinfall detecting units of adjacent alleys as a particular players pushbutton is successively depressed and he alternates from one alley to the other. Means are provided to prevent bowlers on opposing teams from connecting into the pinfall detecting circuit of one alley at the same time. That is, if a bowler from one team depresses his pushbutton and connects into the pinfall detecting circuitry of alley A, for example, any attempt by a bowler from the other team to also connect into alley A will result in his pushbutton being automatically released or ejected.

As one object, the present invention seeks to provide an automatic detecting, registering and totalizing system for a bowling game, with or without printing, which enables bowlers to bowl out of sequence. That is, the bowlers need not bowl in succession in a predetermined order, but may bowl at random. As will be seen, the invention is such that one bowler may, for example, bowl five or six frames before other bowlers start the first frame. This enables a late bowler on a team to catch up to the other bowlers on that team without the necessity copending application Ser. No. 175,865, now US. Patentfor the entire team waiting for the late bowler.

As another object, the invention provides means, in an automatic detecting, registering and totalizing system for a bowling game for connecting the scoring units of adjacent alleys alternately to one and then the other of the alleys, thereby facilitating league play wherein teams alternate between adjacent alleys.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic detecting, registering and totalizing system for a bowling game wherein each bowler is provided with a storage circuit for recording his accumulated score and achieved, but unscored marks, wherein a manual switch is provided for each bowler which must be depressed to connect his storage circuit to the pinfall detecting and registering means for an alley, and wherein means are provided to prevent cycling of an automatic pin-spotter on that alley when a bowler fails to depress his designated pushbutton. In this manner, it will be appreciated that pinfall cannot be lost or unrecorded when a player inadvertently fails to push his designated pushbutton by operation of the pin-spotter to alter the condition of the plIlS.

As another object, the present invention provides apparatus for totalizing and printing the accumulated team score of each team on its score sheet at the completion No. 3,124,355. Although the system shown in that application has never been found to print an incorrect score, nevertheless some means should be provided if such an eventuality arises. The present invention provides such score correcting apparatus which may conveniently be incorporated in a small, portable case which can be plugged into the circuitry of any one console of a plurality of consoles in a bowling alley establishment to correct the score on a particular alley. Thus, only one score J correcting unit is required for all alleys in a bowling alley FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bowling alley.

with which the scoring, totalizing and printing apparatus of the invention may be used;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the printing arrangement of Y the invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially broken-away side view of the printing apparatus of the invention showing the arrangement of the printing wheels and the cam means for lifting the printing wheels into engagement with the sheet which is to be printed;

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the apparatus of FIG. 3 taken substantially along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3 showing the cam arrangement for elevating the printing apparatus into engagement with the sheet which is to be printed;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIVI of FIG. 3 showing the electrical contact arrangement for each printing wheel of the printing apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII- VII of FIG. 3 showing the stop finger arrangement and indexing mechanism for each of the printing wheels of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII VIII of FIG. 3 showing the carbon paper dispensing and shutter arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a back view of the printing apparatus of FIG. 3 showing the shutter actuating arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the automatic detecting, registering and totalizing system of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a cover for the player pushbuttons shown in FIG. 2 which will permit each pushbutton to be depressed only by an appropriate key for that pushbutton;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one of the keys usable with the cover of FIGS. 11 and 12;

FIGS. 14A-l4D, when placed side-by-side in the following manner, constitute a schematic circuit diagram of the player switches and player totalizing and scoring units of the invention: FIG. 14B above FIG. 14A, FIG. 14C to the left of FIG. 14A, and FIG. 14D to the left of FIG. 14B and above FIG. 14C;

FIGS. 15A-15F, when placed end-to-end, constitute a schematic circuit diagram of the master circuit of the invention; and

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of the score correcting and team totalizing circuitry of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a bowling alley is shown comprising the usual approach area 10 which terminates at a foul line 12. On the other side of the foul line is the alley proper 14 comprising tongue-and-groove bed stock laid on edge. The alley 14 terminates at a tail plank 16, while ahead of the tail plank is a pin deck 18 having ten fiber pin spots 20 thereon. As will be understood, the pins are placed on the pin spots 20 during a bowling game by means of an automatic pin-spotting machine, not shown. On each side of the alley 14 are round bottom gutters 22, only one of such gutters being shown in FIG. 1. The gutters 22 extend from the foul line 12 to the pin deck 18; While along the pin deck are gutters 24 which conventionally have flat bottom surfaces, these gutters 24 communicating with the ends of gutters 22 as shown.

Separating successive alleys are division boards 26 which communicate with kickbacks 28. The kickbacks extend along the length of the pin deck 18 as well as the pit 30 behind the tail plank. A cushion plank 32 extends between the tops of the kickbacks 28 and supports a cushion 34, substantially as shown. On the side of each kickback 28 is a kickback plate 36 facing the pins on spots 20.

The printing apparatus of the present invention is carried within a console, generally indicated at 38 in FIG. 1, this console being positioned adjacent the approach area 10. In an actual installation, usually two printing devices will be positioned within a single console between adjacent alleys to facilitate league play; however for the purpose of a complete understanding of the invention, the single printing arrangement for the one alley will sufiice.

Referring now to FIG.. 2, the top 40 of the console 38 is shown and comprises a plate having a rectangular opening 42 cut therein. Covering the major right-hand portion of the opening 42 is a transparent plate 44, while beneath the plate 44 is a conventional bowling game score sheet comprising a series of player lines each of which is divided into frame boxes numbered one through ten. Within the first nine frame boxes in each player line are two ball results boxes 46, while in the tenth frame three ball results boxes 48 are provided. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown herein, the transparent plate 44 does not cover the left-hand portion of the score sheet provided for the players names, the arrangement being such that the name of each player may be manually entered on one of the player lines with a pencil or the like. Adjacent the names of the players are a series of pushbuttons identified by the letters A through H. As will be seen, these pushbuttons are used to position the printing apparatus, hereinafter described, beneath the correct player line. As an alternative to the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the transparent plate 44 may cover the entire score sheet, in which case a removable card having the names of players thereon may be slipped into a holder adjacent the pushbuttons A-H such that each players name will be adjacent one of the pushbuttons.

DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF PRINTING APPARATUS Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, it can be seen that the score sheet, identified by the numeral 50, actually comprises a series of such sheets wound upon a paper roll 52 carried within the console 38. From the paper roll 52 the continuous sheet of successive score sheets passes over a roller 54 which is spring-biased upwardly against the bottom surface of plate 40 and thence underneath the transparent plate 44 to an exit slot 56. From the slot 56 the continuous roll of score sheets passes into a score sheet clamp and cutoff assembly 58 which, in one position, clamps the forward end of the continuous length of score sheets and, in another position, is adapted to sever the continuous length so as to separate a fully printed score sheet from the next successive score sheet to be printed beneath the transparent plate 44.

Carried within the console 38 beneath the plates 44 are a first pair of tracks 60 and 62 (FIG. 5) which carry, for reciprocating movement, a first carriage 64 comprising a pair of angle irons 66 and 68 bolted or otherwise securely fastened to a second pair of tracks 70 and 72 (FIG. 3). Provided on the angle irons 66 and 68 are rollers 74 and 76 adapted to move along the tracks 60 and 62 to facilitate reciprocating movement of the carriage 64 along a path extending parallel to the player lines on the score sheet 50. Carried on the tracks 70 and 72 for reciprocating movement at right angles to the movement of carriage 64 is a second carriage 78 having rollers 80 and 82 adapted to move within the tracks 70 and 72. The carriage 78 comprises a pair of angle irons 84 and 86 to which the rollers 80 and 82 are connected, together with a pair of plates 88 and 90 which extend upwardly from angle irons 84 and 86. The ends of upright plates 88 and 90 furthest removed from the plane of the drawing are provided with inwardly-bent tabs 92 each provided with an opening which receives a bushing 94. The purpose of the tabs 92 and bushings 94 is to support, for reciprocating movement, a vertically extending plate 96 which, in turn, carries the printing apparatus proper as will hereinafter be described. As shown, the plate 96 is provided with inwardly-bent flanges 98 and 100 at its upper and lower edges, respectively. Carried on the flanges 98 and 100 at the opposite ends thereof are bolts 102 having stub portions 104 which extend downwardly through the bushings 94 in the tabs 92 on plates 88 and 90. Threadedly received on the bolts 102 are stop members 106, the arrangement being such that these stop members 106 will limit the downward movement of plate 96 with respect to plates 88 and 90. The plate 96 may, however, move upwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 by virtue of the stub portions 104 which are slideably received in the bushings 94 in tabs 92. That is, the plate 96 may reciprocate upwardly from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 and then downwardly with the stub portion 104 serving as guides.

Secured to the inner face of the reciprocable plate 96, at either end thereof, are two plates 108 and 110 (FIG. 3) which support a main drive shaft 112 for the printing apparatus proper. The shaft 112 is connected through gears 114 and 116 to printer drive. motor 118, the arrangement being such that the drive motor 118 may be actuated to rotate the main drive shaft 112. At the opposite ends of the drive shaft 112 are. pinion gears 120, each of which meshes with a larger gear 122 carried on an associated one of the plates 108 or 110. Each gear 122, in turn, has a circular cam 124 bolted to its outer surface; and this cam is adapted to engage the upper surface of a bracket 126 bolted to an associated one of the plates 88 or 90. As is best shown in FIG. 5. the path of rotation of cams 124 on gears 122 is such that they will engage the upper surfaces of the brackets 126 for each revolution of the gears 122. Since the brackets 126 on the plates 88 and 90 are carried on the carriage 78, and since the gears 122 and cams 124 are carried on the-reciprocable plate 96, the engagement of the cams 124 with the top surfaces of the brackets 126 will cause the plate 96 and all of the components carried thereby to move upwardly on the stub portions 104 of bolts 102 and then downwardly into their original starting positions. It will be noted that the printer drive motor 118 is carried on the plate 96 so that it also moves upwardly with the shaft 112 when the cams 124 engage the brackets 126.

Above the shaft 112 is a printing wheel assembly (FIG. 3), generally indicated at 128. Since the embodiment of the invention shown herein is used for printing the ball results and score in a bowling game, there are six printing wheels numbered 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 and 140. As will hereinafter be seen, each of the printing wheels 130-140 has a plurality of printing or type characters circumferentially spaced around its circumference. The first three printing wheels 130, 132 and 134 are employed to print the score in the frame boxes shown on the score sheet of FIG. 2. In this respect, wheel 134 is employed to print units, wheel 132 prints tens, and wheel 130 prints hundreds. The printing wheels 136, 138- and 140, on the other hand, are employed to print the ball results in the ball results boxes 46 on the score sheet. In

this respect, the wheel 136 is employed to print the first ball results; the wheel 138 is employed to print the second ball results; and the wheel 140 is used only in the tenth frame where there are three ball results boxes 48. That is, the wheel 140 is used only when a bonus ball is rolled in the tenth frame, this wheel serving to print the ball results of the bonus ball.

With reference to the printing wheel 134, it is connected through a central shaft 142 to a gear 144 which is keyed or otherwise securely fastened to the shaft 142 so as to rotate therewith. The printing wheel 132, on the other hand, is connected through a first tubular shaft 146 to a gear 148, this gear being keyed to the shaft 146. Finally, in a similar manner, the printing wheel 130 is connected through a third outer tubular shaft 150 to a third gear 152. As will be understood, by virtue of the coaxial relationship of the shafts 142, 146 and 150, each of the printing wheels 130, 132 and 134 may rotate independently of the others. The shafts 142, 146 and 150 are all supported on plastic bearing supports 1*54 extending outwardly from the vertically reciprocable plate 96 such that the gears 144, 148, 152 and their associated printing wheels 130-434 will move upwardly with the plate 96 when cams 124 engage the brackets 126.

As shown in FIG. 3, the gears 144, 148 and 152 engage gears 156, 158 and 160, respectively, each of the latter gears being slideably received on the main drive shaft 112. On one side of each gear 156, 158 and 160 is a bushing 162 secured to the shaft 112; while the other side of each gear is a second bushing 164 also secured to the shaft 112. Between the bushing 162 and each of the gears 1'56, 158 and 160 is a leaf spring 166, the arrangement being such that the spring 166 will urge its associated gear 156, 158 or 160 into engagement with the bushing 162 whereby the frictional engagement between the bushing 162 and its gear 156, 158 or 160 will cause the gear to rotate when shaft 112 is rotated, thereby rotating its gear 144, 148 or 152 and its associated .printing wheel. When, however, one of the gears 144, 148 or 152 is braked or positively stopped, the gear 156 will also stop and slide on the shaft 112. That is, the frictional engagement between each gear 156, 158 or 160 and its associated bushing 164 is such that it will rotate one of the gears 144, 148 and 152 and its associated printing wheel only in the absence of any braking applied to the latter gears. In this respect, the assemblies of gears 156, 158 and 160 comprise slip clutch arrangements.

Referring now to the ball results printing wheels 136, 138 and 140, each of these is connected to an associated gear 168, 170 and 172, respectively. These printing wheels are connected to the gears 168, 170, 172 through shafts similar to shafts 142, 146 and 150 and are supported on plastic bearing blocks 174 extending outwardly from the reciprocable plate 96. Each gear 168, 170 and 172 meshes with an associated gear 176, 178 or 180 connected in a slip clutch arrangement similar to the gears 1'56, 158 and 160 already described.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 7, it will be noted that the gear 168 is provided with a plurality of drill holes 182 circumferentially spaced around its one face, although these may be replaced with projecting lugs if desired. In addition, the gear 168 is provided with a projection 184 extending outwardly from its one face. Each of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, 170 and 168 is identical in construction, and in this respect it will be appreciated that each gear operates in the same manner. With reference to FIG. 4, it will be seen that each gear is provided with two control solenoids, the solenoids for gear 168 being identified by the numerals 186 and 188, respectively. Solenoid 188 is provided with an arm 190 having an end projection which lies in the path of travel of the projection 184 on gear 168. Solenoid 186, on the other hand, is provided with an arm 192 having a detent 194 on its forward end adapted to fit into any one of the drill holes 182. As will hereinafter be seen, the cycle of operation of the printing apparatus is initiated by energizing the motor 118 to rotate each of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, 170

and 168. When the motor 118 is energized, the gears all tend to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 7 for gear 168. It will be seen, however, that the projection 184 on each gear which engages arm 190 will prevent rotation. Accordingly, when the motor 118 is energized, the solenoids 186 are also energized to simultaneously pull all of the arms 190 out of the path of travel of their associated projections 184 to permit the gears to rotate. With reference to gear 168 in FIG. 7, its associated solenoid 186 may be energized at any time during rotation of the gear 168 to pull the detent 194 into an associated one of the drill holes 182, thereby stopping the gear 168and its clutch gear 176 on the main drive shaft 112. In this manner, a selected one of the printing characters or type on any one of the printing wheels may be stopped at the top of the wheel adjacent the score sheet 50 by energizing appropriate ones of the solenoids 186 in timed relationship with respect to the initial energization of solenoids 188.

The solenoid 186 for each printing wheel is energized by means of an arrangement shown in FIG. 6. Thus, there is associated with each printing wheel an insulating board 7 196 carried adjacent an associated one of the gears 144, 148, 150, 172, 170 and 168. Only that insulating board 196 associated with gear 168 is shown in FIG. 6. It will be noted that the insulating board carries a plurality of circumferentially spaced electrical contact points 198, each of. said contacts being connected through an associated lead to a control circuit, schematically illustrated at 200. Carried on the backside of gear 168 is a circular member 202 having a radially-extending spring finger 204 adapted to engage each of the contact points 198 in succession as the gear 168 rotates. The member 202, in turn, is connected through a wiper brush, not shown, and lead 206 to the control ciicuit 200. Since the gear 168 is connected to the bonus ball results printing wheel 140, it has thirteen contact points connected through associated leads to the control circuit 200. Nine of the contact points represent the numerals 19; one contact represents a blow one a strike (X); one a spare and the last one a forol (F). The control circuit 200 is hereinafter fully shown and described in FIGS. ISA-15F. At this point, however, it will be sufficient to state that when a bonus ball is rolled in the tenth frame of a game, the number of pins knocked down by that ball will cause an associated one of the contact points 198 to be energized through the control circuit 200. If, for example, six pins were knocked down by the last or bonus ball, the number six contact 198 will be energized. Thereafter, when the motor 118 is energized as well as the solenoids 188, the member 202 will rotate until the radially-extending spring finger 204 engages contact number six. At this point, a circuit will be completed through lead 206 and the control circuit 200 to energize the solenoid 186 for gear 168, thereby pulling the arm 192 (FIG. 4) inwardly toward the outer face of the gear to force the detent 194 into the number six drill hole shown in FIG. 7. At this point, the gears 168 and 176 stop while the drive shaft 112 continues to rotate. In this manner, the numeral six will be stopped at the top of printing wheel 140; and when the vertical plate 96 is elevated upwardly by the cams 124, this numeral six will be pressed against the score sheet 50.

In the practice of the invention, the motor 118 is initially energized, and thereafter the solenoids 188 will be momentarily energized to pull the arms 190 out of the paths of detents or projections 184, thereby permitting the printing wheel gears to rotate. Each wheel will thereafter be stopped at a predetermined angular position determined by which one of its contacts 198 is energized. If, however, none of the contacts is energized, the printing wheel will rotate through a complete revolution until the projection 184 again engages the arm 190 to stop the wheel, at which point there are no characters or type at the top of the printing wheel. The gear ratios of the various gears in the printing apparatus are such that each printing wheel may be rotated through a complete revolution before the gears 122 complete one cycle or revolution to engage the cams 124 with the brackets 126. Thus, assuming that intelligence is fed into the control circuit 200 for each of the printing wheels, each printing wheel will be positioned at a particular point and ready to print on the score sheet 50 before the cams 124 engage brackets 126 to elevate the printing wheels into engagement with the score sheet.

With reference now to FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 8, it will be noted that a plate 208 is carried on the upper flange 98 of the vertical plate 96. This plate, of course, will move parallel to the player lines shown in FIG. 2 with movement of carriage 64, and will also move perpendicular thereto along the frames with carriage 78. Cut into the plate 208 is an opening or aperture 210 through which the tops of the printing wheels project. The plate 208 is opaque and light-colored to provide a light background for the printed material produced on the underside of the translucent score sheet 50 such that this printed material may be viewed from the top of the translucent sheet through the transparent plate 44. In order to provide an uninterrupted light background for the complete score sheet, the plate 208 must have larger transverse dimensions than the score sheet itself as shown in FIG. 2. That is, when the aperture 210 and the printing wheels underneath are at the lowermost player line H as shown in FIG. 2, the plate 208 must extend upwardly as viewed in FIG. 2 for a sufficient distance to still cover the entire score sheet. Similarly, when the aperture 210 is at the top of the score sheet, the plate 208 must extend downwardly for a suificient distance so that it still covers the entire score sheet. Furthermore, the length of the plate 208 from left to right as viewed in FIG. 2 must be suflicient to cover the entire score sheet regardless of whether the aperture 210 and the printing wheels beneath are at the extreme left or right end of the score sheet. Stenciled or otherwise provided on the plate 208 is a large arrow 212 comprising a solid pointer 214 having a pair of lines 216 and 218 extending to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, with the space between the lines 216 and 218 being light-colored as the remainder of the plate 208. As will hereinafter be seen, a bowler will push the button A-H adjacent his name before he bowls, and means are provided for moving the carriage 78 upwardly or downwardly until the aperture 210 is under the player line corresponding to the pushbutton that was depressed. In addition, the carriage 64 will be moved to position the aperture 210 over the proper frame to be played. Let us assume, for example, that the player corresponding to the pushbutton G depressed his appropriate button. At this point the carriage 78 will be moved to the player line G, and the carriage 62 will be moved to the proper frame for that player. The arrow 212 serves the important function of giving a positive indication of which player is bowling at any one time. That is, if a player G should mistakenly push button F, then the arrow 212 will, of course, point to player line F rather than the proper player line G, thereby alerting all bowlers to the fact that the player has pushed the wrong button. This condition may be corrected by merely depressing pushbuton G rather than F, whereupon the aperture 210 and the arrow 212 will move to the proper player line. It will be noted that the lines 216 and 218 extend downwardly from the aperture 210 to the extreme right edge of the plate 208. Thus, the arrow will appear regardless of which frame is being played, and by virtue of the fact that the space between the lines 216 and 218 is lightcolored, any scores which apear between these lines may be viewed through the transparent plate 44. Thus, when a score is to be entered in previous frame boxes after the execution of a bowling game mark such as a strike or spare, the plate 208 and aperture 210 will move to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. However, by virtue of the separation of lines 216 and 218, the ball results in the succeeding frames will not be obscured.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 8, it will be seen that the aperture 210 in plate 208 is covered with a shutter 220 which comprises a flexible strip 221 of metal carried within appropriate guides, not shown, so as to curve upwardly over the topsv of the printing wheels. The lower end of the flexible metal strip is connected to a shutter actuating mechanism, generally indicated at 222. The shutter actuating mechanism is possibly best shown in FIG. 9 and comprises an Lshaped bracket 224 which is secured to the right plate 88. Pivotally carried on one arm of the bracket 224 is a shutter actuating arm 226 having a pin 228 at its forward end which projects through a slot 230 in the reciprocable plate 96 and engages the lower end of the flexible steel strip 221. When the cams 124 do not engage brackets 126 in the plate 96 and the printing apparatus is not elevated, the shutter operating ar-m 226 will be in the position shown by the full lines in FIG. 9 whereby the upper end of the steel strip 221 will pass over and cover the aperture 210 in plate 208. When, however, the plate 96 and its associated printing apparatus are moved upwardly by the cams 124, the pin 228 will anchor the lower end of the flexible steel strip 221 

5. IN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING AND TOTALIZING THE SCORE FOR A BOWLING GAME AND FOR PRINTING THE SCORE ON A BOWLING GAME SCORE SHEET, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR PRINTING THE SCORE ON SAID SCORE SHEET, DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PRINTING MEANS TO ANY FRAME BOX IN ANY PLAYER LINE ON THE SCORE SHEET, MECHANISM FOR STORING THE TOTAL SCORE, THE ACCUMULATED BUT UNSCORED STRIKES AND SPARES AND THE NUMBER OF FRAMES PREVIOUSLY BOWLED BY EACH PLAYER IN A BOWLING GAME, A PLURALITY OF MANUALLY ACTUABLE, INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE, SWITCHES, ONE FOR EACH PLAYER IN THE BOWLING GAME, MEANS FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION OF ALL BUT ONE OF THE SWITCHES AT ANY ONE TIME, THE SWITCHES BEING ACTUABLE IN ANY DESIRED SEQUENCE, AND CIRCUIT MEANS OPERABLE WHEN ANY ONE OF SAID SWITCHES IS ACTUATED FOR CONTROLLING SAID PRINTING MEANS AND THE DRIVE MEANS THEREFOR AS A FUNCTION OF THE INFORMATION STORED BY SAID MECHANISM FOR THE PARTICULAR BOWLER WHOSE SWITCH HAS BEEN ACTUATED. 